Installing an outdoor portable spa

“Portable” spas, i.e. units fully built-in to self-contained cabinets, are very popular because they are delivered “ready to install”. However, “ready to install” does not necessarily translate into “install without preparation”. After having inquired about applicable municipal regulations, a certain amount of preliminary work will be required to prepare the installation site, including provisions for the electrical connections. It is also important to verify the warranty conditions for your spa in order to avoid limiting or voiding your warranty through inappropriate installation. When in doubt, call upon the services of a professional.
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Choosing a Location
1. Installing the Electrical Wiring
2. Preparing the Location
3. Installing the Spa
4. Completing the Electrical Connections
5. Starting Up the Spa

Choosing a Location

Obviously, user preference is of primary importance when deciding where the spa should be located. But before allowing our sense of aesthetics or convenience to make the final decision, potential location areas must be established and outlined according to the following considerations:
  • Proximity to a garden hose and faucet
  • Proximity to an area where the spa may be emptied using a garden hose (Ex: location where a length of hose can reach the street)
  • The potential to run electricity to the unit
  • Less than 45 m (150 ft.) from the household breaker panel, to avoid voltage drops that may reduce the lifecycle of the motor (If this is not possible, a thicker gauge of wire must be used)
  • Pump noise: in order to reduce the effects of pump noise, the spa must be installed at an appropriate distance from the house
  • Intimacy: a location obstructed from view or easily adapted to provide the desired level of privacy
  • View from the hot tub: to provide users with a view of something appealing while seated in the spa
  • Cover storage: consider a practical and aesthetic storage. If your spa is equipped with a cover removal mechanism, provide for at least 38 cm (15 in.) of clearance
  • Protection from the wind, to help maintain water temperature
  • Distance from trees: to avoid floating debris and to promote solar heating
  • Accessibility of the spa’s electric parts compartment
  • Transportation of the spa to its intended location: Are there any obstacles?

The location of the spa must also allow for the installation of the proper protective devices (fencing), similar to those used around pool installations, in order to limit access.

It is possible to install a portable spa inside the home but it is critical that the intended location have sufficient ventilation and be equipped with a dehumidifier. Also, the floor must be extremely solid, with access to drainage for emptying the spa. Ideally, the unit should be installed on a concrete floor with immediate access to a drain (i.e. in the basement).

1. Installing the Electrical Wiring

There are “plug and play” spas on the market, complete with a cord and plug assembly that is plugged directly into a standard wall socket, which makes the installation that much easier. The only problem with this type of spa is that they do not allow for the use of two functions at the same time (ex.: the water jets and the water heater). In order to take advantage of this dual functionality simultaneously, one must install a spa with breaker panel connection wires. In Quebec, electrical connections must be made by a master electrician. However, this does not prevent you from running the electrical wiring between the breaker panel and the spa on your own. Ideally, this step should be completed before the preparation of the spa location in order to provide improved manoeuvrability on the site.

The electrical installation consists of drilling a hole in the concrete foundation wall, passing the wiring through the hole, sliding it through protective PVC conduits and burying the entire assembly in a small ditch in the ground, leading to the intended spa location.
The following instructions detail the direct wiring of the spa to the breaker panel. If you so choose, a switch may be added to the installation. The switch, which must be located more than 1.5 m (5 ft.) from the spa, will simply allow you to turn the power on or off without having to go down to the basement. Another option: if your shed is connected to the electrical network and has sufficient amperage, your electrician could install a dedicated “service box” (including a ground fault circuit interrupter) for spa use only. This way, the spa will be connected to the shed’s electrical circuit, as opposed to the home’s breaker panel, and will save you from having to drill the foundation wall for the wiring.

1.1 

Using a hammer drill equipped with a masonry bit long enough to pass through the entire foundation wall, drill a hole in the concrete at a height of at least 20 cm (8 in.) from the ground. The hole must be large enough to fit the PVC conduit that will be used to protect the wiring; the diameter of this conduit will depend on the type of wiring used. Drill the hole as close as possible to the breaker panel located in the basement. Insert the PVC conduit so that it covers the entire length of the hole in the wall and extends 2.5 cm (1 in.) beyond the outside wall (cut the conduit to the desired length using a hacksaw). Then, seal the conduit contour into the concrete using the thermoplastic sealant for exterior use.

NOTE: Since you are already drilling a hole in your foundation wall, why not take advantage of the situation to hook-up speaker wires for the spa environment as well. Should you decide to install speakers, plan for a slightly larger hole diameter and PVC conduit.

1.2 

If the spa is to be installed on a deck, proceed to the next item (1.3). If the spa is to be installed on the ground or in a shelter away from the house (Ex.: gazebo), the wiring must be buried. To do this, dig a 30 cm wide x 30 cm deep trench (12 in. x 12 in. or the depth and width of a standard round shovel) from the foundation wall to the intended location of the spa’s electric parts compartment.

1.3 

Pass the wiring between the breaker panel and the spa location through the hole in the foundation wall, without making the connections (be sure to use NMWU type electric wire of sufficient calibre for the power and amperage requirements of the spa components and for the distance between the spa and the breaker panel). Once the electric wiring has been passed through the hole, seal it into the PVC conduit using duct seal; this will prevent unwanted air and insects from getting into the home. Then, pass the wiring through a conduit box that will be fastened and glued, using PVC conduit cement, to the 2.5-cm (1-in.) piece of conduit that extends from the wall.

1.4 

If the spa is to be installed on a deck, the wiring must lead all the way to the intended location of the electric parts compartment. If the wiring is exposed over an extended distance, it is recommended to protect it using a plastic or PVC cover designed for this purpose. For above-ground spa installation, pass the wiring through a length of PVC conduit long enough to protect the wiring between the conduit box and the bottom of the trench. Glue the conduit to the end piece of the conduit box. Pass the wiring through the ditch and then through an elbow conduit, glued to a length of straight conduit, so that the wiring is delivered vertically to the spot where the spa’s electric parts compartment will be located. The conduit should be installed so that approximately 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in.) of the PVC remains above ground. Cover the wiring in the trench using small planks of wood in order to prevent accidental piercing or slicing of the cables and bury the entire assembly.
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